Recent posts

#1

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What concerts are you look...

Last post by Der lächelnde Schatten - Today at 06:11:49 PM

Yesterday morning at 11am, Patricia Kopatchinskaja with the New York Philharmonic doing the Stravinsky violin concerto under Jakub Hrusa. Since the Times had given the concert a rave review, I tumbled out of bed, quickly dressed, got a train into the city, and for $22 I picked up a rush ticket in row D center orchestra. I must say she puts on quite a show. Following a negligible opener for string orchestra by one Jessie Montgomery, PatKop emerged in a wild folk-inspired outfit, barefoot, and scratched her way through the Stravinsky - dancing, grimacing, lurching for 22 minutes in a performance more like a dancer in The Rite of Spring than a typical concert artist. Then a brief encore "Crin" by the Venezuelan Jorge Sánchez-Chiong, which combined violin-playing and nonsense syllables. The audience loved it, and her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1TbzPjgbeA

Following intermission, a return to normalcy with a solid Brahms 1 under Hrusa. But good to see the standard staid concert world shaken up a bit by this daring Moldavian artist.

She is one hell of a musician. I'd love to have seen that concert.

[Abram Chasins]

#2

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by JBS - Today at 05:35:27 PM

A fancy title and cover picture for what is essentially a very 'normal' and very fine piano duo recital. The works here are Stravinsky's 3 dances from Petrushka, Ravel's Alborada del gracioso and La Valse, Liszt's concert paraphrase on themes of Rigoletto, a Carmen Fantasy and a Fledermaus Fantasy by one Abram Chasins, Rimsky's short Flight of the Bumblebee and finally Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations.

All of it is well played (great buildup to the intoxicating ending of La Valse) and the recorded sound is beautiful. The whole is more than the sum of its parts, as it should be in a well-planned recital.

About Chasins:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abram_Chasins

Only one recording of his music is listed on Amazon, but three of his books are available there.



TD


CD 2
K 284/205b "Dürnitz" in D Major
K 309/284b in C Major
K 310/300d in a minor

#3

Composer Discussion / Re: Miloslav Kabelac(1908-79)

Last post by Der lächelnde Schatten - Today at 05:11:46 PM

To be released on 5 September:



Will this be the first release of another complete cycle of his symphonies?

I didn't know that Kabelac had composed overtures. Looking forward to this recording.

More info here.

I'm still crossing my fingers for a Martinů Hrůša symphony cycle, especially since he's the current president of the International Martinů Circle. Interesting that he's turned his attention to Kabeláč, though.

[Villa-Lobos]

#4

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by Der lächelnde Schatten - Today at 05:03:52 PM

Going to make my way through the Villa-Lobos symphonies --- now playing Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

#5

The Diner / Re: What are you eating?

Last post by Kalevala - Today at 04:27:22 PM

Well, it is Boston and not the south, so that is probably what Karl's having as well!



US biscuits are made with either butter or lard. They are not sweet, and either doughy or flaky in texture. The gravy that is poured on top of biscuits is usually made with sausage and flour. Massive saturated fat bomb! I'm sure Karl will need to waddle home and then take a nap after his meal.

Well, Mr. Southern Boy, one can make them healthier these days....or maybe have one biscuit and some gravy along with some fruit and other things these days.    We know better--and not all of us are young 19 year olds working physical jobs.

Affectionately,

K

#6

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by André - Today at 04:16:19 PM

The d minor violin concerto and the double (violin and fortepiano) concerto were written when Mendelssohn was a boy of 12-13. Amazing stuff. Both works show amazing brio in the concluding pages of their respective finales. Solid, superbly crafted stuff from a middle school boy. Of particular note is the superb clarity and fine tone of the fortepiano, an 1845 Bösendorfer. Irnberger confirms his status as a superb violinist.



Eröd (1936-2019) was a student of Kodaly. The 3 quartets on this disc cover about 40 years of his career. The language is easy to the ear, steeped in the same kind of clear, uncluttered harmonies and symmetrical, classical structure as Bartok and Kodaly. Very enjoyable.



A fancy title and cover picture for what is essentially a very 'normal' and very fine piano duo recital. The works here are Stravinsky's 3 dances from Petrushka, Ravel's Alborada del gracioso and La Valse, Liszt's concert paraphrase on themes of Rigoletto, a Carmen Fantasy and a Fledermaus Fantasy by one Abram Chasins, Rimsky's short Flight of the Bumblebee and finally Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations.

All of it is well played (great buildup to the intoxicating ending of La Valse) and the recorded sound is beautiful. The whole is more than the sum of its parts, as it should be in a well-planned recital.

#7

Composer Discussion / Re: Miloslav Kabelac(1908-79)

Last post by Symphonic Addict - Today at 03:46:23 PM

To be released on 5 September:



Will this be the first release of another complete cycle of his symphonies?

I didn't know that Kabelac had composed overtures. Looking forward to this recording.

More info here.

#8

The Diner / Re: The Hollies

Last post by Elgarian Redux - Today at 03:30:09 PM

This superb song was written by Peter Knight and recorded by Steeleye Span for their Sails of Silver album. The Hollies recorded this version, which was buried 'certain fadoms in the earth', and consequently remained an inexplicably well-kept secret. If they'd released it as a single, it would surely have been a hit for them, one would think.

[Debussy Images for Orchestra]

#9

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by Der lächelnde Schatten - Today at 03:03:24 PM

Now playing Debussy Images for Orchestra

#10

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...

Last post by Symphonic Addict - Today at 02:25:10 PM

Three arrangements for chamber orchestra: Il Vitalino raddoppiato (a cool title, btw), Drei Mozartsche Orgelsonaten and I sentimenti di Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Another side of the composer and one I found quite compelling. The first work is the most substantial piece on the disc (32 min. long).